Schools Hone Their Strategies For Taking On The Bullies

By Larissa Lytwyn

After an alleged bullying incident at Reed Intermediate School recently, the district’s bullying policy is once again drawing local attention.

“The bullying issue has been of national interest,” noted Hawley Elementary School psychologist Charles Brumley. After launching an in-depth study of students’ developmental behavior three years ago, Mr Brumley and Hawley lead teacher Judith Pesce helped establish a committee to develop a districtwide antibullying policy in 2001.

Mr Brumley and Ms Pesce’s work proved timely.

The policies were developed at the same time as the state legislature’s mandated all public schools to establish and enforce antibullying measures as part of their curriculum.

Public Act 02-119, an Act Concerning Bullying Behavior in Schools and Concerning the Pledge of Allegiance, states that the policy should “enable students to anonymously report acts of bullying to teachers and school administrators,” as well as enable the students’ parents and guardians to file written reports of suspected bullying.

The act also requires teachers and other school staff notify administrators upon witnessing or receiving reports of suspected bullying. Each school must establish an “intervention strategy” for staff to manage bullying incidents.

“We have a zero tolerance policy for bullying behavior,” said Mr Brumley. Hawley’s “bully-free” program, he said, became a model now mirrored throughout the district.

According to the district’s official “Bullying Regulation Policy,” bullying is defined as any “overt act by a student or a group of students directed against another student to ridicule, humiliate or intimidate” them. Bullying can be physical or verbal in nature, the policy states, and can include, but is not limited to, physical violence and attacks, verbal taunts, threats and intimidation, extortion or stealing of money and possessions, and/or malicious exclusion from peer groups.

The severity of the incident is measured in several ways, including how frequency the misconduct occurs and whether it is aimed at the same student.

In all cases where bullying is substantiated, Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff is informed so that a determination can be made as to whether expulsion can be recommended under policy. In cases where Dr Pitkoff decides that expulsion is not warranted, disciplinary action will be determined by the administration. Both the bully and targeted student are encouraged to undergo counseling by the school psychologist, social worker, or guidance counselors.

The policy also includes detailed schoolwide preventative measures. “We include ‘conflict resolution’ curricula in our health units for kindergarten, second, fourth, and sixth graders,” explained Mr Brumley. Each unit is based around four primary themes –– empathy, conflict resolution, impulse control, and anger management –– uniquely designed for each grade level.

Kindergarteners, for example, are taught to identify feelings, predict how others might feel, and show concern. Kindergarteners also learn how to healthily alleviate conflict by developing “impulse control.” By delaying sudden retaliatory actions, students can consider using various emotional management techniques in a variety of social and learning situations.

Kindergarteners are also introduced to anger management, learning how to recognize and handle angry feelings to prevent violent, aggressive, or hurtful actions. More sophisticated lessons are practiced around these themes at the older grade levels.

As mandated by Act 119, each Newtown public school has a box located in its guidance office or main lobby where students can anonymously report suspected acts of bullying. “When dealing with acts of bullying,” said Mr Brumley, “we do not identify the students targeted by bullies as the only victims.” The district handles such incidents with a holistic approach in which both parties receive guidance.

He said the school psychology staff often coordinates classroom visits to conduct antibullying presentations. “Right after we do a presentation, the report of incidence usually goes up,” said Mr Brumley, “then tapers off again. But [the school psychology] staff is committed to building preventative measures, particularly at younger grade levels, so students can develop healthy ways to manage negative emotions.”

As adults, he said, school bullies often get into trouble with the law. “It’s important that we try to stop bullying behavior early,” he said, “so we can prevent greater problems from happening later on.”